Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 592 The Day of Divine Judgment

"wrong."

Ron turned around and re-examined the mirrors.

"Do all the 'me's' in these mirrors really end up at the same point?"

He observed carefully.

When "he" became the ruling witch king, was his expression one of satisfaction or emptiness as he stood at the pinnacle of power?

The look in the eyes of the man who died on the battlefield—was it regret or acceptance?

Was the smile on his face when he held his child genuine or forced, as he pursued a simple and happy life?

When that solitary explorer stood on the edge of the abyss, was he filled with despair or anticipation?
"Their 'end point' is indeed that vortex."

Ron said slowly:
"But their 'process' is completely different."

"The 'I' who became king experienced power and responsibility in the process."

"The 'me' who died on the battlefield protected the people I cherished in the process."

"The 'me' who pursued happiness felt warmth and love in the process."

"That solitary explorer, in the process, touched the edge of truth."

He turned toward the vortex, his eyes no longer lost in thought.
"Therefore, even if the destination is the same, the process is the whole meaning of 'existence'."

"What the vortex wants to devour is the 'result'."

"But the 'result' is never the core of life; the 'process' is."

"I chose not the 'destination,' but the 'method of getting to the destination.'"

"This is the value of free will."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Hall of Mirrors began to crumble.

All the "Ron" figures in the mirrors were smiling—some with relief, some with pride, and some with a sense of relief.
The black vortex slowly dissipated after Ron refused.

Instead, a door leads to the next scene.

"very good."

For the first time, genuine surprise appeared in Acelia's voice:
"You are more perceptive than I imagined."

"However, the third scenario."

Her voice turned serious:
"It's the most difficult."

"Because this time, your opponent is 'omniscience' itself."

Ron took a deep breath and stepped through the third door.

The scene changes again.

This time, Ron found himself standing in a pure void.

There is no up or down, no left or right, and no reference points.

The only thing that exists is a crystal ball floating on the opposite side.

Inside the crystal ball, countless rays of light flow, each ray representing a "possibility".

The text appears:
Welcome to 'The Prophet's Game'.

This crystal ball is a 'prophet'.

It can accurately predict your every thought, every action, and every choice.

Now, the rules of the game are simple: there are two boxes inside the crystal ball.

[There are 100 gold coins inside the transparent box; you can see them directly.]

The opaque box might contain 1000 gold coins, or it might be empty.

You have two choices:

1. Only take the opaque box.

2. Take both boxes.

The key lies in...

The text paused, then revealed the most bizarre rule:
[Before you make your choice, the 'prophet' has already predicted it.]

If it predicts you'll only take the opaque box, it will put 1000 gold coins inside.

If it predicts you'll take both boxes, it will leave the opaque box empty.

And its predictions have never been wrong.

Now, what would you choose?

Ron stared at the two boxes, feeling a deep unease.

This is the famous "Newcomb Paradox".

From a rational perspective:
If you choose "only take the opaque boxes", you can get a maximum of 1000 coins.

If you choose "take both", you will get at least 100 gold coins and at most 1100 gold coins.

Therefore, "taking both" seems to be a better strategy.

Whether or not there's money in the opaque box, it's always better to have an extra box.

The problem is, what if the "perfect prophet" could actually accurately predict your choices?

It already knows you'll "take both," so it will leave the opaque box empty.

As a result, you will only get 100 gold coins.

Conversely, if you "only take the opaque box", it will put 1000 gold coins in it beforehand.

"So, the rational choice is to only take the opaque box?"

Ron reached out to pick up the opaque box.

But just as it was touched, the crystal ball suddenly emitted a blinding light.

A voice rang out:
You hesitated.

Before deciding to take only one, did you consider whether taking two would be better?

I had already predicted this thought process.

【so.】

The opaque box was opened, and it was empty.

You received 0 gold coins.

Because I know that deep down, you want to have both.

Even if you ultimately restrain yourself, even if you outwardly choose to 'take only one'.

But your 'true intentions' have already been exposed.

Ron was stunned.

This trap was more terrifying than he had imagined.

It predicts not only your "actions," but also your "thoughts."

Even if you make the "correct choice" in action, as long as you have had the "wrong thoughts" during the thinking process, you will still be affected.
Then you've lost.

"If this is the case"

Ron muttered to himself:
"That means I have to decide what thoughts I will have before I even have them."

"But that's simply impossible."

"Thinking itself is a process of exploration."

How could I possibly know the outcome of my thinking before I even begin to think?

He looked at the crystal ball, a look of confusion in his eyes:
"This game is simply unsolvable."

The crystal ball shines again:
【correct. 】

This game truly has no solution.

The very existence of a 'prophet' negates 'free will'.

If every thought of yours could be predicted, would 'you' still exist?

If every choice you make is predetermined, then does the act of 'choice' even have any meaning?

【so.】

The sound of the crystal ball became like a pronouncement:
Accept this truth.

In the face of 'omniscience,' 'freedom' is merely an illusion.

Giving up the struggle and embracing 'inevitability' is the only way out.

The void began to shrink, as if to crush Ron.

The feeling of being "seen through", "predicted", and "controlled" is becoming increasingly intense.

Ron felt short of breath and his thoughts began to become muddled.
Just as he was about to break down... a voice echoed deep within his mind.

That was Chloe's voice:
"Please remember that just because you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

What you think has disappeared may simply have been replaced by another 'mode of existence'.

Ron suddenly looked up.

"I see."

He looked at the crystal ball, his eyes regaining their clarity:
"Your trap is that you make me believe that 'prediction' is the same as 'decision'."

"But that's wrong."

Even if you could accurately predict my every thought.

Ron's voice became firm:
That was just a 'prediction,' not 'manipulation.'

"You know what I'm going to do, but you can't force me to do it."

"You see through my intentions, but you cannot change my will."

"so."

He took a deep breath:
"Even in the face of 'omniscience,' I am still 'free.'"

"Because the essence of 'freedom' is never 'unpredictable'."

"Instead, it means 'being able to choose even if it is predicted'."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crystal ball shattered.

The void stopped contracting and instead began to expand.

Acelia's voice rang out, this time filled with genuine admiration:
"pretty."

"You passed all three scenarios."

"Moreover, the way it was done was more profound than I expected."

The sandbox space slowly dissipated, and Ron's consciousness returned to the surface.

But just then, Acelia suddenly said:
"However, there's something I must remind you of, Ron."

Her voice turned serious:
“These three scenarios are all ‘simulated traps’ that I designed.”

"Although they are very close to reality, they are still within the 'known framework'."

"But what you will face during the Golden Ring assessment..."

"It could be the 'unknown framework' itself."

“Those tests won’t give you clear ‘rules’ and ‘written instructions’ like they do here.”

"They will infiltrate your cognition in a more subtle and imperceptible way."

"so."

Acelia's voice was full of warning:
"When you encounter anything that 'seems reasonable' during an assessment, ask yourself one more question..."

"Is this truly reasonable, or is someone trying to make me think it's reasonable?"

"Remember?"

Ron nodded: "Got it."

Consciousness completely detached from the sand table and returned to the secret chamber of the Nari Palace where the body resided.

He opened his eyes and found that his body was soaked in sweat.

The core of the contradiction still hovered in front of his chest, radiating a stable obsidian glow.

"Magic compression progress."

Ron checks his own status:
[Current Magic Compression Progress: 452%]

[Monthly Level, Stage 4: Steadily Improving]

In the unique high-concentration environment of the Nari Palace, coupled with the optimization of "materials and acoustics," his cultivation efficiency was astonishing.

In just three days, they accomplished what would normally take months.

"One more week."

Ron muttered to himself:
"The Golden Ring assessment will begin in a week."

He closed his eyes, letting a wisp of his consciousness drift towards the distant Star of the Stoker.

There, the trial of divine judgment is about to begin.

Two trials, in different worlds, are taking place simultaneously.

He must win on both fronts.

………………

The sky over Hearthstone was a strange, dark red that morning.

That wasn't the natural glow of the morning sun; it was the reflection of countless blast furnaces burning all night.

The blood of the entire city is boiling and surging wildly in its metal veins.

The Sacred Forge is located at the geometric center of Hearthheart.

This is a giant arena made entirely of obsidian and copper.

Its architectural style combines the solemnity of an altar with the cruelty of an execution ground.

The circular grandstand extends upwards in layers, each layer inlaid with "memory metal" that emits a faint blue fluorescence.

Blurry images flow across those metallic surfaces:
The final moments of all those who have undergone divine trials here over the past millennium.

Some images freeze the ecstasy of victory, while many more are frozen in the despair of defeat.

In the center of the site is a circular forging platform with a diameter of 100 meters.

The platform is carved from a single piece of "living iron," a rare metal that can sense the emotional fluctuations of the forger and transform them into visible light patterns.

When calm, it ripples like water; when excited, it surges like flames; and when fearful, it freezes into frost-like cracks.

At this moment, the surface of the living iron was a deathly gray.

It seemed to be waiting, waiting for the impending judgment to add color to it.

Through his perception of "ink," Ron can clearly "taste" the emotions permeating the air:
Fear, like the smell of rotting rust, seeped from the pores of the Walker family members;

Greed, like molten copper, churned in their eyes;
Despair, like a cold, leaden weight, pressed down on the chests of the Ruger family's envoys.
There is another, more subtle yet more widespread emotion—numbness.

Those lower-class "coal smoke workers" who were forcibly driven to watch the ceremony knelt on the outermost platform.

His body was hunched over from long-term inhalation of toxic fumes, and his eyes were hollow from day after day of despair.

They don't care who wins the trial.

They mechanically waited for this farce, which had nothing to do with them, to end, and then returned to the depths of the mine to continue their endless labor.

"These are the seeds of the future."

Ron silently recited the mantra, his gaze sweeping over the numb faces:
"They may not see any hope right now."

"But as long as they are given the right guidance, as long as they realize that they don't have to be this way."

"A single spark can start a prairie fire."

9:00 AM sharp.

A deep and long horn sound came from the direction of the temple.

The sound seemed to penetrate to the bone marrow, causing the hearts of everyone present to resonate involuntarily.

All conversations abruptly ceased.

All breathing became cautious.

The portal slowly opened on the altar on the north side of the forge.

From the vortex where lava and metallic light intertwine, today's "referee" has emerged.

It was still that five-meter-tall "Declaration Priest".

A jet-black metallic shell, with dark red gemstones arranged along the spine, and a deep blue furnace pulsating slowly at the core of the chest cavity.

Each pulse leaves visible ripples of heat in the air.

He has no eyes, but has three vertical grooves.

A deep blue light seeped out from the cracks, like a fissure in an abyss gazing down upon all things in the world.

The priest who delivered the decree stepped forward, each step causing the ground of the entire forge to tremble.

He ascended to the throne at the highest point of the viewing platform.

It was a bizarre creation made up of countless skeletons and molten waste.

Symbolizing the essence of "gold burning": sacrifice and rebirth, destruction and creation.

As the priest took his seat, the furnace in his chest suddenly burst forth with a dazzling light.

The light swept across the entire forging ground like a tidal wave, and everyone felt the invisible pressure.

That was a "gaze" from a higher-level being.

Like bacteria placed under a microscope, every cell and every thought is dissected and examined.

Ron could clearly feel that "Karen's" body, controlled by the "ink," was trembling instinctively.

This is the primal fear that creatures experience when facing an absolute predator; it is a survival instinct etched deep in their genes that cannot be suppressed by reason.

"Hold still."

He conveyed a comforting message to the "ink" through their blood connection:
"Remember, we are now playing the role of a 'genius teenager awakening under pressure'."

"A moderate level of tension is reasonable; excessive calmness is rather suspicious."

"Let your fear show on the surface, but keep your mind clear."

The "ink" immediately adjusted Karen's physiological response:
His pupils dilated slightly, his breathing became rapid, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his hands clenched into fists due to tension.

But deep in his eyes, a flame of defiance still burned.

This is a perfect "young hero" character design.

The priest delivering the decree remained silent.

He simply sat there quietly, letting that invisible pressure last for a full three minutes.

Three minutes felt like three centuries to the audience.

Chief Walker's face was ashen, and his hands gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles white from the force.
The Ruger family's envoys were on the verge of collapse; the leading middle-aged nobleman even began to pray silently, his lips trembling as he recited some ancient prayers.
at last.

The priest delivered the decree.

"oracle."

That sound was still the superposition of millions of metallic friction sounds, the echo of countless people whispering at the same time.

"Trial begins."

As this announcement was made, the live iron platform in the center of the forging yard suddenly lit up.

That was a "showcase" prepared for the two contestants.

The priest slowly raised a hand, and a burning scroll appeared in the air. The scroll unfurled, revealing the rules of the trial written in St. Benevolent script:
[Proof Forged Through the Trial of Divine Judgment]

[Participants:]
Karen, son of Walker;

Berne, son of Luger

[Trial Theme: Forge a piece that best embodies the essence of "Gold Burning Technique"]

[Judgment Criteria: Skill level, innovative concept, and effectiveness in practical application]

[The victor: Receives divine blessings, and their clan is elevated to the highest rank.]

[The loser: their entire clan will be banished and forever enslaved.]

The last line of text pierced everyone's heart like a branding iron.

Some of the Luger family's envoys had already begun to weep silently.

"first."

The priest's voice rang out again:
“Bern, son of Luger.”

"Present, your creation."

A beam of light suddenly rose from the display stand on the east side.

Everyone's attention was forcibly drawn in that direction.

Bourne, a young man who looked to be around twenty-five years old, slowly walked towards the display stand.

His steps were steady, his face was cold and stern, and his eyes burned with resentment and determination.

This is a fighter who was driven to the brink and had no choice but to fight with all his might.

Unlike "Karen", Byrne is the true direct descendant of the Ruger family's genius.

Having received the most systematic training in metal burning techniques since childhood, possessing the secret skills accumulated by generations of his family, and having the innate talent of "metal symbiosis" unique to the Stoker Star people.

The so-called "metal symbiosis" is a unique physiological characteristic of intelligent life on the Stoker Star.

Their bones are not pure calcium, but a strange substance that lies between organic matter and metal—"active bone gold".

This substance gradually absorbs metallic elements from the environment as the individual grows, eventually forming a unique "metallic skeleton".

Different people develop drastically different skeletal structures due to differences in their upbringing, dietary habits, and emotional fluctuations.
Some people have bones that are more iron-like, hard but somewhat heavy;
Some people prefer copper, which is flexible but not strong enough;

A very small number of geniuses are able to form composite metal skeletons, combining the advantages of multiple metals.
The core of the "metal symbiosis" talent lies in the fact that these bones can "resonate" with external metal products.

A skilled stoker blacksmith will make his bones resonate with the metal being shaped during the forging process.

Through this resonance, they can more accurately perceive the "emotions" of metals, adjust the crystal structure at the microscopic level, and directly imprint their "will" onto their works.

This is the true secret of the Stoves Star's Gold-Burning Technique.

Bourne stepped onto the display stand and took a deep breath.

He stretched out his hands, palms facing up.

The metallic components in the bones began to resonate, emitting a deep hum:
That was the signal of a "summoning".

A moment later, an exquisite metal box flew from the Ruger family's rest area and landed steadily in Bourne's hands.

He opened the box.

Inside, there lay a straight sword about 1.2 meters long.

The sword blade shimmered with seven colors, and every inch of it trembled slightly, as if it possessed its own life.

"This is."

Bourne's voice echoed throughout the forge:
"【Resonance Sword】."

"It took twenty-seven days and utilized seven rare metals accumulated by three generations of the family."

"Every metal undergoes nine hundred and ninety-nine hammering and quenching processes."

“With each hammer blow, guided by the resonance of my bones, the crystalline structure of the metal tends towards perfection.”

He slowly raised his sword, its blade reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.
"The special feature of this sword is 'bloodline resonance'."

"When its owner drips blood onto the gem on the hilt, the sword will synchronize perfectly with the frequency of the owner's bones."

"From this moment on, this sword will become an 'extension' of its master's body. Every swing will feel like the movement of one's own arm, and every parry will instinctively find the best angle."

As he spoke, Bourne drew a small knife from his waist and made a cut in his palm.

Blood dripped onto the Flame Gem.

In an instant!
The entire sword burst forth with a dazzling red light!

The seven metals each emitted a unique color, yet they merged together to form a spiraling pillar of light!

A beam of light shot into the sky, blooming into a giant metallic flower in mid-air!

Even more astonishingly, Bourne's body also began to glow.

His bones shimmered beneath his skin with a light perfectly synchronized with the blade of the sword, as if the man and the sword had become one!
"This is the pinnacle of traditional gold-making techniques."

Bourne's voice was filled with pride:
"Let metal become a part of your body, and let tools become an extension of your will!"

"This is the essence of the 'Gold Burning Technique' passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years!"

He began his demonstration.

With a swing of the sword, the sword energy surged like a rainbow, leaving a seven-colored trail in the air;
The sword tip struck the bullseye precisely from 100 meters away, piercing through three layers of thick steel plate.

The sword automatically adjusts its angle to parry, perfectly dissipating the energy of the simulated attack.
Every movement was fluid and seamless.

Suppressed gasps of surprise rose from the audience.

Even members of the Walker family had to admit—it was a true masterpiece.

Chief Walker's face grew even paler.

He turned to look at "Karen," his eyes filled with suspicion and fear:
"That good-for-nothing...can he really win?"

"If we lose."

He didn't dare to continue thinking about it.

The demonstration ended, and Bourne sheathed his sword.

He didn't look in the direction of the Walker family; he simply stood quietly on the display stand, awaiting the verdict.

The priest who delivered the decree remained silent for a moment.

Then, His thoracic furnace flickered again:
"Exquisite craftsmanship."

“Ideas. Tradition”.

"Practical and effective."

Every comment was like a heavy hammer blow to the hearts of the Luger family's envoys.

"Excellent" and "effective" are certainly true, but the word "traditional" is...
In the context of "divine trial," "tradition" often means "lack of originality" and "excellent but not amazing."

Bourne's body stiffened slightly.

He knew that although his work was excellent, it might not be enough.

The key word for this trial is "essence".

If the high priest believes that the ultimate expression of traditional craftsmanship is the "essence," then he has won.

However, what the high priest desires is a completely new interpretation of the "essence".
So, everything will depend on what that good-for-nothing from the Walker family can come up with.

"Secondly."

The priest's voice rang out again:
"Karen, son of Walker."

"Present, your creation."

A beam of light rose from the display stand on the west side.

All eyes were like countless sharp blades, piercing in that direction.

Karen, controlled by "ink," slowly walked toward the display stand under Ron's guidance.

His steps lacked the steady pace of Bourne's.

Instead, it carried a touch of youthful awkwardness and nervousness, but at the same time, it also possessed an undeniable firmness.

This is a contradictory combination.

Nervous, but not backing down.

Inexperienced, but not timid.

He walked onto the display stand and, in full view of everyone, took it out of the storage bag.
piece.

A seemingly inconspicuous, fist-sized, dark gold metal block.

Its surface is rough, covered with cracks and pits, as if it were the dregs of an apprentice's failed work.

Whispers immediately erupted from the audience.

"what is this?"

Is he joking?

"The Walker family is finished."

Chief Walker's face turned ashen, and his body trembled violently with anger and fear.
"That idiot! How could he bring out such garbage! Is he trying to kill our entire race?!"

however.

The priest's reaction to the decree was unexpected by everyone.

The deep blue light within His three grooves suddenly became even brighter.

That was neither anger nor disappointment.

It's more like some kind of "interest" has been aroused.

“To tell the story”.

His voice was brief and commanding.

Karen took a deep breath, her voice echoing throughout the forge:
"This is, [Resentment Gold]."

“A completely new material that has never been recorded in any book on alchemy.”

He held up the dark gold metal so everyone could see it:
"Its forging method violates all the rules of traditional gold-making techniques."

Traditional metal burning techniques pursue the 'purity' of metals;
Through countless refinements, impurities are removed, bringing the metal to its perfect state.

However, I did the opposite.

His voice deepened.
"I let the metal absorb 'pain'."

The moment those words were spoken, the entire audience erupted in uproar!

"Absorbing pain? What kind of evil magic is this?!"

"Is he crazy?!"

"Blasphemy! This is blasphemy against the art of burning gold!"

But "Karen" ignored these questions and continued her story:
“In the process of forging this piece of resentment gold, I poured all the humiliation, anger and despair of the past sixteen years into it.”

"Every hammer blow tells a story of a scorned memory."

"Every quenching process seals away a piece of unfulfilled past."

"When my blood dripped onto its surface, it remembered my hatred."

"When my tears mingled with the cooling water, it understood my sorrow."

His voice began to carry a strange resonance:
"This piece of metal is no longer an inanimate object."

"It's alive."

"It can sense my pain and transform that pain into strength!"

As she spoke, "Karen" placed the gold in her palm.

Then, in front of everyone, he used the fingernails of his other hand to carve three deep, bloody scratches into his arm!
Fresh blood gushed out and dripped onto the surface of the gold.

In an instant!
The resentful gold has begun to "breathe"!
Dark red light surged from the cracks on its surface!

The light, like blood vessels, spread, grew, and intertwined on the metal block!
Even more bizarrely, the metal block began to "flow".

It was like a living creature, climbing up Karen's arm and gradually covering his entire body!

Terrified screams erupted from the audience!

Because everyone witnessed a truly horrifying scene:
Metal is growing beneath Karen's skin!
Those dark golden substances, like countless metal worms, burrowed into his pores and fused with his flesh and blood!
Karen's body began to swell and deform!
His skin was stretched open, revealing the hideous metal skeleton beneath!

Those bones were no longer ordinary "active bone metal", but strange creations made entirely of resentful metal, radiating an ominous light!

Muscle tissue is also changing.

Metal wires intertwine with flesh fibers, forming a bizarre structure that is neither entirely mechanical nor purely biological!

Finally, when all the changes were complete.

The person standing on the display stand is no longer that thin boy.

Instead, it was a monster that was two and a half meters tall and covered in hideous armor.

This is the [Living Symbiotic Armor - Body of Resentment]

The armor's appearance is full of raw, violent aesthetics:
There are no ornate carvings, only functional angles;

There are no smooth lines, only menacing spikes;
The surface was covered with deep cracks, from which flowed a dark red light like lava.
The most terrifying thing is that this armor is "breathing".

With each breath, the core area of ​​the chest contracts and expands, producing a deep, muffled sound like a heartbeat.

Karen's voice, now low and hoarse, sounded like a roar from the depths of hell.
"This is my work."

"It is called, 'Body of Resentment'."

"It has completely merged with my flesh, bones, and nerves."

"It can sense my every bit of pain and transform that pain into strength."

"It changes with my emotions—more violent when I'm angry, more resolute when I'm fearful, and bursting into a destructive madness when I'm desperate!"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the entire room:
"Do you all want to see its power?"

"So."

He turned to the messenger priest, his voice carrying a hint of defiance:
"Please allow your 'Iron Slave' to attack me."

This request caused another uproar in the audience!

The Iron Slaves, those are terrifying beings who completely crush the "All-Gold Warriors"!
How dare a mere teenager ask to be attacked by it?

Was this suicide?!

The priest was given the order, but he did not hesitate at all.

He raised his hand, and a complex rune appeared in the air.

The runes shattered, and two iron slaves of law enforcement stepped out.

Without any further ado, they launched an attack directly on "Karen"!

The first Iron Slave swung its arm, which resembled a giant axe, and slashed at "Karen's" neck with a hand chop!

Karen did not dodge.

He just stood there, letting the chop fall!

"Click..."

A deep crack was slashed through the armor!

Dark red "blood" gushed out from the crack!
In the audience, Chief Walker let out a desperate wail: "It's over! It's over!"

however.

next second.

Everyone was stunned.

Because that crack is healing at a speed visible to the naked eye!

No, it's not just about healing!

The metal around the crack became denser and stronger!
It was as if the attack just now wasn't damaging the armor, but rather "forging" it!

Karen let out a low laugh:
"Pain makes it stronger."

"Attack it, and let it keep evolving."

"This is the characteristic of resentful gold!"

"Come again!"

The second Iron Slave used an even more terrifying attack this time.

Its fist was ablaze with white flames, the "holy flames" powerful enough to melt ordinary steel!
The fist slammed into "Karen's" chest!

The armor dented, and cracks reappeared!
but
The body of resentment did not collapse.

Instead, it began to "devour" those holy flames!
More dark red substance oozed from the cracks on the armor surface.

Like countless tentacles, it wrapped around, dragged, and absorbed the white flames!
A moment later, the holy flame died down.

But the core of "Karen's" chest burned even more intensely!
He suddenly reached out and grabbed the arm of the second iron slave!
The hands of the armored warriors, as hot as molten lava, left deep handprints on the metal surface of the Iron Slave!
"They feed on pain."

Karen's voice was like the whisper of a demon:
"The more they fight, the stronger they become."

"This is the true essence of the 'Gold Burning Technique'—"

"Metal should not be merely a passive tool!"

"Metal should be a living, breathing partner that grows alongside its owner!"

He pulled hard!
They actually tore off the arm of the iron slave!

Then, the gold armor began to "devour" the arm.

The metal melted, reformed, and was eventually integrated into the structure of the armor, making "Karen's" right arm even thicker and more ferocious!
The whole place was dead silent.

Everyone was so shocked by this sight that it defied all comprehension that they were speechless.

This is no longer "forging" in the traditional sense.

This is a more primitive, more insane form of creation.

The priest was given a decree, and at that moment, the furnace in his chest burst forth with intense light!

The light was so real that it illuminated the entire forge as if it were daytime!

At this moment, the High Priest's will was truly "excited"!

After a long while, the light faded.

The priest who delivered the decree slowly rose to his feet, his voice echoing throughout the forge:
"The craftsmanship is crude."

This assessment plunged Chief Walker's heart into despair.

"Ideas. Innovation."

The word made Bourne freeze.

"Practical application. Outstanding."

The final assessment made everyone realize that the outcome was already decided.

The priest's voice, now carrying an indescribable emotion, spoke:
"Karen, son of Walker."

His voice was like a divine oracle:
"To reveal the principle of perfection through an imperfect work."

"Using 'rough' techniques to interpret the 'essence' of life."

"Victory!"

This word, like a thunderclap, exploded in everyone's minds!
The Walker family members were stunned for a second, then burst into hysterical cheers!

The envoys from the Luger family, on the other hand, lay limp on the ground as if their bones had been removed, their eyes filled with despair.
Meanwhile, "Karen" slowly released herself from her state of being consumed by resentment.

The metal armor receded like a tide, reforming into a fist-sized piece of resentful gold, lying in his palm.

He raised his head and looked at the priest who delivered the decree, his eyes burning with fire.

(End of this chapter)